Race-horse starter.



No. 674,975. Patented May 28, l90l. J. MONLEZUN.

RACE HORSE STARTER.

(Application filed. Ocg, 4, 1900.)

(No Model.)

m: uoRms PETERS coy, PnoTo-umo, WASMINGYON. v. c.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MONLEZUN, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

RACE-HORSE STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,975, dated May 28, 1901. Application filed October 4, 1900. Serial No. 32,040 (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN MONLEZUN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Race-Horse Starters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in race-horse starters, and more particularly to that class of starters which comprise posts arranged at opposite sides of a race-course, arms pivotally connected to the posts so as to swing in vertical planes, a barrier connected to and interposed between the arms, means for retaining the arms in a depending position and the barrier in a horizontal position adjacent to the posts, and one or more springs for quickly raising the arms and barrier when the same are released from the retaining means.

It consists in the peculiar and advantageous construction,certain novel combinations, and the adaptation of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved starter with the swinging arms and the barrier secured in their proper operative positions. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail horizontal section illustrating one of the devices for automatically releasing the barrier when a fractious horse runs against the same. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 6 comprises disconnected perspective views of the members of the releasing device.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views, referring to which A A are posts designed to be located at opposite sides of a race-track.

B B are metallic brace-frames connected to the posts adjacent to the upper ends thereof and provided with forward circular track portions at, and O O are arms pivotally connected to brackets b on the posts and arranged at the outer sides of the brace-frames. The arms are provided on their inner sides with antifriction-rollers 0, designed to bear against and travel on the track portions dot the braceframes and are also provided with curvilinear portions d, which extend rearwardly beyond their pivotal points, as shown. These portions (Z of the arms are designed for the con nection of the upper ends of springs D, which are connected at their lower ends to the posts and have for their purpose to quickly raise the arms when the same are released from keepers E. The said keepers are preferably in the form of rock-shafts e, which are journaled in bearings on the outer sides of the posts and are provided at one end with angular toes f, arranged to engage the arms C, as best shown in Fig. 1, and at their opposite ends with angular handles 9.

F F are U-shaped metallic braces on the posts, against which the arms are designed to rest when in their depending positions.

G is the barrier, which may be a ribbon, strap, or the like, and H H are the automatic devices through the medium of which the ends of the barrier are connected to the arms 0. The devices H are similar in construction, and therefore a detail description of the one shown in Figs. at and 5 will suffice to impart an understanding of both. The said device H comprises a lower member h, an upper membert', and a pintle in, through the medium of which the member '5 is pivotally connected to the member h. The member It extends transversely through one of the arms 0 and is provided at one side of said arm with an enlargement Z and at the opposite side thereof with a threaded portion my to receive a securing-nut n. It is also provided with the outwardly-extending reduced portion p, and at its inner end has a semicircular portion q. The member 11 is provided at its inner end with a semicircular portion r, disposed opposite to the portion q of member h, and is also provided with an outwardly-extending arm 8, to which a flat outwardly-extending spring 25 is connected, as best shown in Fig. 4. This spring t is slotted adjacent to its outer end to receive a headed bolt to, which extends loosely through an aperture in the portion 19 of member h and is threaded, as shown, to receive a nut r. The spring 25 operates to normally hold the semicircular portion 1" of the member i in the position shown in Fig. 4 with reparts of the starter.

spect to the semicircular portion (1 of the member h, and its tension may be readily regulated by turning the thumb-nut o.

The semicircular portions (1 r of the retaining devices H are designed to receive between them loops or rings I at the opposite ends of the strap or barrier Gafter the manner illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. From this it follows that in the event of a fractious horse running against the strap or barrier the said strap or barrier will be automatically disconnected from one or both of the devices H, for it will be seen that as soon as pressure is exerted against the said strap or barrier the portions 1" of the members i will be moved against the action of the springs i in adirection away from the portions q of the members h, and the rings I on the strap or barrier will drop out of engagement with said portions q r. ,This will be appreciated as an important advantage when it is remembered that bad actors running against the ribbon or barrier often break the ribbon or barrier, as well as other parts of racastarters.

I prefer in practice to connect the ribbon or barrier G to both of the arms 0 through the medium of the devices H. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to this construction, as in some cases the strap or barrier might be permanently connected to one of the arms 0 and but one ofmy improved devices employed to effect the connection of the strap or barrier to the other arm 0.

In the practical operation of my improved starter the arms 0, with the strap or barrier attached thereto, are secured in the position shown in Fig. 1 through the medium of the keepers E. In the event of a fractious horse running against the strap or barrier said strap or barrier will be disconnected from one or both of the arms 0, and no injury will result either to the strap or barrier or the other When the horses in the race are in such positions that a fair start can be made, the persons in charge of my improved apparatus have but to disengage the keepers E from the arms 0, when said arms and the strap or barrier will be quickly raised by the springs D so as to afford a free passage between the posts.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that my improved starter is simple and inexpensive in construction and embodies no parts that are likely to get out of order after a short period of use, also that it is quick and reliable in operation and is not liable to be injured by the movements of fractious horses.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a race-horse starter, the combination of a strap or barrier having an eye at one end, a suitable support, and a barrier-holding device com prising a member secured in the support and having a semicircular portion at one end, a second member pivotally connected to the first-named member and having a semicircular portion at one end disposed opposite to that of the first-named member, and also having an arm, a flat spring connected to said arm of the second member, and an adg just-able connection between said spring and the first-named member, substantially as specified.

2. The herein-described race-horse starter, comprising posts arranged at a suitable distance apart, brace-frames connected to said ,posts and having outer circular track portions, arms pivotally connected to the posts so as to swing in vertical planes, and-having antifriction-rollers arranged to bear against and travel on the track portions of the braceframes, and also having portions 01 extending in rear of the posts, springs interposed between and connecting the said portions d and the posts, means for holding the arms in a depending position and releasing the same when desired, a strap or barrier suitably connected to one of the arms and having an eye at its opposite end, and a device carried by the other arm, and comprising a member secured in said arm and having a semicircular portionin its inner end, a second member pivotally connected to the first-named member and having a semicircular portion at its inner end disposed opposite to that of the first-named member, and also having an outwardly-extending arm, afiat spring connected to said arm, and an adjustable connection between said spring and the first named member, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN MONLEZUN.

Witnesses:

EDWIN G. ROBINSON, W. R. KILLELEA. 

